Course Catalog / BMU 050 / Syllabus
BMU 050 Spot the Scam: Online Safety for Real Life: Course Syllabus
Welcome. You are an adult with a full life, and this course is built for that. This page shows what you will learn, why it matters, what you will do, and how to succeed. Come back to it any time you wonder what is next.
This page helps you
- Explain what success looks like in this course
- Find your next step and set your own target dates
- Find help when you get stuck
Why this course matters
Scams reach people of every age by phone, text, and email, and they work by rushing you. This free course teaches the four signs the FTC names, a simple way to sort any message, how to lock your accounts, how to check a family emergency call or a job offer, and what to do in the first hour after a scam. You finish with a first hour plan and a trusted contact list. Every message in the course is made up.
This course is for you if:
- You get calls, texts, or emails you are not sure about
- You help a parent, grandparent, or friend stay safe
- You are looking for work and want to avoid job scams
What success looks like
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Name the FTC's four signs of a scam: pretend, problem or prize, pressure, and pay a certain way.
- Sort a message as scam, check first, or likely safe, and say why (8 of 10 right in the capstone).
- Make a long, random, unique passphrase and turn on two step login, and keep login codes private.
- Check a call, text, or job offer with a number or site you already trust.
- Follow a first hour plan after a scam and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or IdentityTheft.gov.
You will know you got there in two ways. First, you pass the Posttest with 80% or higher. Second, your course project passes every automatic check on the Course project page.
Your next step
Start with the Pretest. It takes about 10 minutes and is not graded. Then open Lesson 1: How scams work (surprise, pressure, payment).
Here is the full path through the course:
- Pretest: 12 questions, plus 3 quick confidence questions. Not graded. You take it once.
- The lessons, in order: 5 lessons, from Lesson 1: How scams work (surprise, pressure, payment) to Lesson 5: Your first hour plan (and capstone).
- Posttest: 12 questions. Pass with 80%. Retake as often as you need.
- Course survey: about 2 minutes, optional and anonymous.
- Your certificate: type your name and print it.
- A 30 day check in, if you opt in.
Your dates. BMU sets no deadlines. You choose them. Pick a start date and a target finish date now, and put both on your calendar. Each lesson's action step also says when to do it, such as tomorrow or this week.
Getting started
Welcome from BMU Learning. Thank you for starting Spot the Scam: Online Safety for Real Life. This course is built to help you do one real task on your own, step by step, at your own pace.
About this course
- There is no instructor. BMU Learning wrote and checked the lessons, and every person in the examples is made up.
- The lessons are text you read. If a page has audio, the narration is an AI voice, not a real person. Your phone or computer can also read any page aloud.
- Support: BMU Learner Support answers questions by the contact form in the Help Center. See Getting help below.
Prerequisites
None. If you can open a link and scroll on a phone or computer, you can start.
How to move through the course
- This syllabus first. It says what you will do, how long it takes, and how you finish.
- Pretest: a short check that is not graded. It shows where to start.
- Lessons, in order: Lesson 1: How scams work (surprise, pressure, payment); Lesson 2: Sort texts, emails, and calls; Lesson 3: Lock it down (passphrases and two step login); Lesson 4: Scams that target families, job seekers, and older adults; Lesson 5: Your first hour plan (and capstone).
- Each lesson has the same order: why it matters and what you will learn, the steps, a worked example, practice with feedback, a Try it step, a self check with feedback, and a short summary. Use Next up at the bottom of each lesson to go on.
- Course project after Lesson 5, on the Course project page: build it in the guided builder and press Check my project. Each rubric row is checked for you, with a note on what to fix.
- Posttest after Lesson 5. Score 80% or higher. With your course project done, that earns your certificate.
- Keep and use: the job aid, the glossary of key words, and the follow up plan.
Technology you need
A phone, tablet, or computer with internet and a current browser. See What you need below for the full list.
How to finish
Your Certificate of Completion needs both of these:
- Pass the Posttest with 80% or higher. Retakes are unlimited.
- Finish your course project (the capstone) on the Course project page after Lesson 5. Build it in the guided builder and press Check my project. The page checks each rubric row automatically and tells you what to fix. When every row passes, download or print it. It is what you keep and use.
Your certificate will say you passed its Posttest and completed the course project. The checks run in your browser; no person grades the project.
Common questions
I fell behind. What now?
Nothing is late. Open the lesson you stopped on and read its quick review. If a week went by, redo that lesson's self check before you go on.
I am stuck on a lesson.
Read the worked example again, then try the practice and open its feedback. Still stuck? Write to BMU Learner Support with the lesson name and the step.
I did not pass the Posttest.
Look at which questions you missed. Each one names the lesson to review. Review it, then take the Posttest again. There is no limit on tries.
Who checks my capstone?
The Course project page checks it for you, automatically, in your browser. You build the project in guided boxes, tables, and choices, then press Check my project. Each rubric row says Passed or Not yet, with a note on what to fix. Fix it and check again as often as you need. You do not grade yourself, and no person grades it.
Where is my progress saved?
In this browser only, like your lesson badges and Posttest score. If you switch devices or clear your browser, redo the course project step.
Course schedule
Every lesson has the same parts, so you always know what is coming. You get a short read, a Try it action step you do in real life, and, in most lessons, a quick check. Times come from each lesson page.
| Lesson | Read | Action step | What you do (Try it) | Builds outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pretest | 10 min | None | See where you start | All |
| Lesson 1: How scams work (surprise, pressure, payment) | 16 min | 15 min | Find the signs in one real message | O1 |
| Lesson 2: Sort texts, emails, and calls | 16 min | 20 min | Sort five messages and build a trusted contact list | O2, O4 |
| Lesson 3: Lock it down (passphrases and two step login) | 14 min | 30 min | Lock one account today | O3 |
| Lesson 4: Scams that target families, job seekers, and older adults | 15 min | 20 min | Make your family safety plan | O1, O4 |
| Lesson 5: Your first hour plan (and capstone) | 17 min | 45 min | Finish your capstone | O1, O2, O3, O4, O5 |
| Posttest | 10 min | None | Show what you can do (80% to pass) | All |
| Survey (optional) | 2 min | None | Tell us what to improve | None |
Suggested pace
Two lessons a week. That is about three weeks. If you think you were just scammed, go to Lesson 5 now and follow the first hour plan. Go faster or slower if your life calls for it.
| When | What to do | About how long |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Pretest, Lesson 1, Lesson 2 | 77 min |
| Week 2 | Lesson 3, Lesson 4 | 79 min |
| Week 3 | Lesson 5, Posttest, Survey (optional), Certificate | 74 min |
How much time it takes
- Each lesson: 14 to 17 minutes to read, in one sitting.
- Each action step: 15 to 45 minutes, done in your real life within the window the lesson gives.
- At the suggested pace: up to about 79 minutes a week.
- The whole course: about 3 hours and 50 minutes, including the tests and the survey.
What you will do and why
Each task below practices or checks one of the outcomes above. Nothing here is busywork.
| Task | What you do | Counts toward the certificate? |
|---|---|---|
| Pretest | Answer 12 questions and 3 confidence questions before Lesson 1. It shows where you start, so you can see your growth later. | No. Not graded. |
| Check your understanding | Answer 3 short questions at the end of a lesson. Every answer tells you why it is right or wrong. | No. Try as many times as you like. |
| Try it action steps | Do one real task after each lesson. Each one builds a piece of your capstone. | No, but they are where the change happens. |
| Capstone | Your first hour plan from Lesson 5: 10 practice messages sorted with reasons, one account locked, a trusted contact list, a written first hour plan with report links, and the plan shared with someone. The Course project page checks it automatically. | Yes. The Course project page checks each rubric row automatically and tells you what to fix. You do not grade yourself, and no person grades it. |
| Posttest | Answer 12 questions and the same 3 confidence questions. Each retake mixes the order and swaps in some new questions. | Yes. Pass with 80% or higher. |
| End of course self check | Mark how sure you feel on each goal and pick one to review. It is not a grade. | No. It is for you. |
| Survey and 30 day check in | Tell us what helped and what to fix. Opt in to a check in at 30 days. | No. Both are optional. |
Your capstone rubric checks these parts:
- Sort the 10 messages
- Lock one account
- Trusted contacts
- First hour plan
- Shared
How the course checks each goal
Each goal below is taught in a lesson, tested on the Posttest, and, where it can be, built and checked in your course project.
| Goal | Lessons | Posttest questions | Course project rows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name the FTC's four signs of a scam: pretend, problem or prize, pressure, and pay a certain way. | 1, 4, 5 | 1, 2, 3 | Posttest only |
| Sort a message as scam, check first, or likely safe, and say why (8 of 10 right in the capstone). | 2, 5 | 4, 5, 6 | Sort the 10 messages |
| Make a long, random, unique passphrase and turn on two step login, and keep login codes private. | 3, 5 | 7, 8 | Lock one account |
| Check a call, text, or job offer with a number or site you already trust. | 2, 4, 5 | 9, 10 | Trusted contacts |
| Follow a first hour plan after a scam and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or IdentityTheft.gov. | 5 | 11, 12 | First hour plan, Shared |
Grading and your certificate
- Pretest: not graded. You take it once. It is fine to miss questions. They show where to start.
- Posttest: you need 80% or higher. You can retake it as many times as you need. Your first try is the one BMU uses to see how much the course helped, so there is no need to rush it.
- Course project (capstone): you start it in Lesson 5 and build it on the Course project page. The page checks each rubric row for you and says exactly what to fix. Fix it and check again as often as you need. A row that says Not yet just shows you where to look next.
- Certificate of Completion: it unlocks when you do two things: pass the Posttest with 80% or higher, and pass every automatic check on your course project. The survey is optional and never blocks it. Type your name on the certificate page and print it.
Your Certificate of Completion lists the skills under What success looks like, the course time (about 4 hours), and the standard you met: you passed its Posttest and completed the course project.
What you need
- Cost: free. There is nothing to buy.
- Device: a phone, tablet, or computer with internet and a current version of Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox.
- Skills: you can open links, type in a box, and scroll. Printing is optional. You can also save pages as a PDF.
- A phone or computer you use for email or texts
- Paper or a notes app for your trusted contact list and first hour plan. Do not write down real passwords or account numbers.
- Job aids and tools: Spot the Scam Card (printable).
How this course works
This course is self paced and online. There are no live classes, no group posts, and no one checks when you log in. Taking part means three things:
- Read each lesson in order, in one sitting if you can.
- Do the Try it step in your real life. That is where the learning happens.
- Be honest with yourself on the self checks and the end of course self check. Your reflections are private, and you never have to share them.
Policies and flexibility
- Pace: go at your own speed. There are no late penalties. If you miss a week, pick up where you left off.
- Retakes: lesson checks and the Posttest have no limit on tries.
- Your progress: lessons, notes, and test scores are saved in this browser on this device. They are not tied to your name. If you clear your browser data, use private browsing, or switch devices, your progress will not follow you.
- Honest work: take the Pretest and Posttest on your own, without notes, other people, or AI. Please do not share test answers. Your certificate says you passed, so let the score show what you can do.
- Using AI: You may use AI to brainstorm, explain an idea in simpler words, or practice. If AI helps you draft your capstone, check every fact and make it sound like you. Never paste passwords, account numbers, or medical details into an AI tool.
- Keep it accurate: This course is general education about scams. It is not legal or financial advice, and BMU cannot get money back for you. Facts come from official government pages (FTC, CISA, FCC, U.S. Department of Justice, USA.gov, CFPB) and are dated. Every sample message is made up. Never tap a link or call a number in a message to test it.
- Changes: if BMU changes this course, the date at the top of this page will change, and we will say what changed here.
Getting help
This course is self paced, so there is no live instructor. You are not on your own, though. Here is where to go:
- Quick answers: the BMU Help Center covers progress, certificates, billing, and technical problems.
- Ask a person: use the Contact BMU support form and pick a topic. We read every message and reply as soon as we can. Please do not send card numbers or passwords.
- Something not working: refresh the page and try a current browser. If it still fails, contact support, choose Technical problem, and tell us the page, your device, and your browser.
Accessibility
We want every page to work with a keyboard, a screen reader, and zoom. Tables scroll on small screens, and answers open with a tap. If anything gets in your way, or you need a lesson in another format, tell us on the contact form. Choose Technical problem, say it is an accessibility issue, and describe the page. We will work to fix it or get you the content another way.
Check your understanding of this syllabus
Can you answer these three questions? If so, you are ready to start.
1. What does success look like in this course?
You can do the 5 things listed under What success looks like. You pass the Posttest with 80% or higher, and your capstone rubric shows Ready to use.
2. What is your next step?
Take the Pretest, then start Lesson 1: How scams work (surprise, pressure, payment). Put your own start and finish dates on your calendar.
3. Where do you get help?
Try the Help Center first. Then use the contact form. We read every message and reply as soon as we can.
Recap
- Start with the Pretest. It is not graded.
- Do one lesson at a time, and do each Try it step in real life.
- Pass the Posttest with 80% and finish your course project to earn your certificate. Retakes are unlimited.
- Need help? Use the Help Center or the contact form.
Sources
This syllabus is built from the course design record. The research behind each lesson is listed at the end of that lesson.